130 Years Ago
Feb. 24, 1893
Perhaps it has not occurred to the mind of the average Alliance citizen that the town is just five years old tomorrow, the first sale of lots having been held on February 25, 1888.
125 Years Ago
Feb. 25, 1898
Blood was on tap and flowed promiscuously in these parts Wednesday night. Fred Carey opened up hostilities by going into Spry & Soder’s saloon with chips on both shoulders, and figuratively speaking, in a state of almost total decomposition for want of a first class fight. He ran up against the man he was looking for in the very first inning; then the room became at once a scene of decidedly active unpleasantness. Nearly everyone seemed to have it in for Carey, and when he landed on the floor – which he did very early in the proceedings – almost every person present deemed it his duty to give him a kick: so when Carey emerged from the fracas he was pretty badly battered up, and at one time thought to be seriously hurt. He was locked up yesterday. The affair was one of the most lively that ever occurred in this city. So far as can be ascertained no one in the saloon was to blame for the occurrence.
120 Years Ago
Feb. 24, 1903
“Reaping the Harvest” was presented to the Alliance theatre – going public last evening at the opera house. The shinning pate of our valued friend, A. M. Miller, of Hemingford, was noticed at the opera house last night. We’re not going to say how far he was from the front row.
115 Years Ago
Feb. 25, 1908
Since Dr. Copsey is sailing around in a red automobile and “putting on airs” beyond the capabilities of the average young man, “the boys” have seen fit to get out a joke at his expense, the authenticity of which we do not vouch. It is to the effect that the doctor (who is his own chauffeur) was sailing along across the country the other day and coming to a wire fence yelled, “Whoa!” As to whether the machine stopped or he sped on through, that is not stated, but it may be that our country friends will need to look to their fences more closely. (P. S. – “Doc” hasn’t been around to take us a ride yet.)
110 Years Ago
Feb. 25, 1913
The laundry team became frightened Monday afternoon and started to run down the street, but Dr. Claude Lester succeeded in catching hold of one line and turned them onto the sidewalk across the street, and others helped him stop the animals. No damage was done.
105 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1918
Matches, cigarettes and boys formed a combination that resulted in a fire at the Barkhurst barn on Niobrara avenue Wednesday afternoon and caused a damage estimated at $200. The barn was filled with hay and at $20 a ton it did not take very long to run up the damage account. The roof of the building was an almost complete loss.
100 Years Ago
Feb. 20, 1923
H. D. Massinger, owner of the Alliance bloodhounds, was called to Morrill to assist in trailing two boys who accidentally set fire to a potato cellar about 23 miles northwest of that place and burned up a Buick car. The dogs took up the trail at the cellar and proceeded a distance of a mile and a half to a house where one of the boys under suspicion lived. The lad was taken to Harrison, county seat of Sioux county, where he was held by sheriff. The boys were returning from a neighbor’s house in their car when the gasoline supply gave out. They entered the potato cellar to get some gas from the car they knew was stored there. They used a match to find their way in the dark and it is thought they set fire to the cellar in this way. The cellar and car belonged to C. W. Jones of Morrill.
95 Years Ago
Feb. 21, 1928
Federal, state, county and city officers conducted a raid on the Henry Thorlton place six miles north of Alliance yesterday afternoon, arrested Mr. Thorlton and Harvey Benjamin and seized a large copper still, two kegs, some jugs and a basket of bottles. The two men were arraigned before County Judge Ira E. Tash on charges of possessing liquor-making equipment.
90 Years Ago
Feb. 21, 1933
Mrs. Chet Chase, 716 East Seventh street, was recovering today from an incident which might have easily cost her life last week. Mrs. Chase was overcome by carbon monoxide gas generated by a small gasoline washing machine motor she was using in her home.
85 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1938
Kenneth Anderson, assistant manager of the Alliance theatre, suffered minor injuries this morning when the car he was driving overturned about four miles east of Alliance. Anderson said he thought he went to sleep at the wheel. He suffered a gash over the eye, a cut on his right ear and a neck injury. He was taken to St. Joseph’s hospital.
80 Years Ago
Feb. 23, 1943
With the increased importance of Alliance as a training point for glider pilots, this article, written by Elvin Howe, now with the Denver Post and formerly on the staff of the Times-Herald, is timely and of great interest. It is a review of an article written by Howe for Flying Magazine, which will be on the newsstands about March 10.
75 Years Ago
Feb. 20, 1948
Two Alliance young men who were recently graduated from law schools were admitted to the Nebraska Bar Association to practice this week. Both took the state bar exams at Lincoln and were passed by the state supreme court. They are Marvin A. Romig, son of Mr. and Mrs. P. E. Romig, and Albert T. Reddish, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Reddish.
70 Years Ago
Feb. 23, 1953
Five Box Butte County youths escaped injury in a one-car accident west of Alliance. Darwin E. Jesperson, 19, a soldier from Hemingford now home on furlough, was west-bound on Tenth Street road. He lost control of his car and the car flipped over on its top in a snow drift. Riding with Jesperson were Gladys Geffs, 23; Edna Ackerman, 18, and Leslie Kerl, 24, all of Alliance, and Dan Foley, 21, of Hemingford.
65 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1958
Irvin Meyers, Alliance, an eyewitness to the shooting of George Kasunick, 48, Scottsbluff, in a hallway at the Gering city hall, took the stand Friday to testify in the second degree murder trial of Homer Gaunt, Scottsbluff, in district court.
60 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1963
A request to landscape the area on the northeast corner of Potash and the Sale Ring Road, cutoff between U. S. 385 and Highway 2 south of Alliance, brought a renewed study of plans for a fishing pond at the City Council’s meeting Thursday night.
55 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1968
A Box Butte County Heart Fund team is in the midst of a project to contact every home for contributions to be used in the campaign against heart and blood vessel diseases. This coming Sunday has been designated as Heart Sunday, the traditional time for home calls for the Heart Fund.
50 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1973
Larry Gaffaney, manager of the Arctic Circle announces the grand opening of the drive-in business located at East Third and Sweetwater.
45 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1978
Development proposals and bids for two 45-acre parcels of city-owned property in south Alliance will be considered by the Alliance City Council March 16. The Council voted in a special meeting Tuesday night to consider development proposals for either or both of the 45-acre parcels included in the present city farm property.
40 Years Ago
Feb. 25, 1983
A 19-year-old Alliance man escaped serious injury after the vehicle he was driving struck a gas pump and burst into flames. Alliance police said James H. Watson, 807 Platte, was driving east on Third Street when he blacked out. His car, a 1961 Chevrolet, crossed the traffic lane and knocked over a wooden light pole and struck a gas pump at PDQ Market on the north side of Third Street. Bob Abold, B-21 Meadows Trailer Court, was in the market and saw the vehicle approaching. Abold rushed outside and fought the fire with an extinguisher until firemen arrived.
35 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1988
To raise money for a trip to Washington D. C. this summer, the Alliance High School Band parents and students serve Mexican food Saturday in the multipurpose room.
30 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 1993
Wade Burnham, Burlington Northern telecommunication tower-man, works out Saturday afternoon in the BN weight room to keep fit. Through exercising, Burnham said, he can do his job more safely, climbing the towers and working high in the air.
25 Years Ago
Feb. 21, 1998
Friday afternoon Alliance Middle School officials confiscated a BB (air) pistol and two hunting knives, one of which was in a sheath. The weapons were taken from two sixth grade students. An Alliance Middle School student was expelled earlier this week for bringing a .45 caliber automatic pistol and magazine to school on Tuesday to show classmates in a PE class.
20 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 2003
Jeanne Halouska accepts a teddy bear and other gifts for her newborn son Brantz James Halouska from Alliance Future Farmers of America members Anthony Walters, Tiffany Kursave, Eden Clausen and Lacey Sterkel this past Wednesday at Box Butte General Hospital. Born to Jeanne and Brant Halouska on Monday, Feb. 17, Brantz weighed 9-pounds, 3-ounces and was 21-1/2 inches long.
15 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 2008
The empty lots in the Lakefield Addition may be replaced with duplexes for moderate-income seniors. For the last 30 years the city owned lots have sat empty. If the Excel Home Development builds, not only will it relieve a housing shortage for the older Alliance residents, but also generate increased tax funds for the City.
10 Years Ago
Feb. 22, 2013
Future Farmers of America students went downtown and painted windows Saturday. On Sunday, the students made cherry cheesecakes, delivering them Monday, to supportive businesses and on Tuesday they had a teachers appreciation breakfast.
5 Years Ago
Feb. 21, 2018
The Knights of Columbus serve their fish fry dinner consisting of pollock, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and french fries. The fish fry will be every Friday until March 23, those who attend may dine in or take out.